Ohio State’s University Senate voted to change the structure of the general education curriculum by decreasing the amount of credit hours required and making requirements more cohesive between colleges. Credit: Jack Westerheide | Managing Editor for Design

Ohio State’s University Senate voted to change the structure of the general education curriculum by decreasing the amount of credit hours required and making requirements more cohesive between colleges.

The new curriculum, which is set to launch Autumn 2021, consists of three main parts: the foundations component, the thematic component and the “bookends” component, according to an Ohio State press release. The goal of the new GE is to provide more room for additional majors and minors, as well as preparing students to be “global citizens.”

“It has been decades since we re-evaluated our general education curriculum in a meaningful way,” Bruce McPheron, executive vice president and provost, said. “Career paths are different, technologies are different, and the subject matter of our majors has changed over that period.”

The foundations component includes basics, like writing and math, but will now require students to take three credit hours in the area of race, ethnic and gender diversity. The thematic component consists of courses in line with Ohio State’s mission as a land-grant, public university, and the bookends component consists of two one-credit hour courses that begin and end the GE curriculum.

As of now, a Bachelor of Arts degree consists of 46 to 69 GE credit hours and a Bachelor of Science requires 45 to 66. With the new structure, students will complete 32 to 39 GE credit hours.

Now that University Senate has approved the structure, an implementation committee will be formed with representation from the undergraduate colleges. Colleges will have the opportunity to review the plan created by the implementation committee by the end of 2019 and will be able to submit courses for approval through 2020 if all colleges approve the plan.